Review: Mysterious Mail

Getting something through the post isn’t something that factors strongly in a kid’s world view these days. I remember being absolutely ecstatic if I got my own mail, usually because it was a card from a relative (often with a cheeky fiver tucked inside) or something I’d sent off for out of a comic. Kids in 2018 have no modern equivalent. In a world where everything is digitally delivered, downloaded or streamed, the joy of getting something cool through the post is almost entirely forgotten. That is until we tried Mysterious Mail!

Mysterious Mail is an adventure-by-mail service that sends your child a bundle of clues and artifacts and requests their help in solving an ancient mystery. Each delivery is different and later items must be cross-referenced with the previous ones in order to build up a picture of what’s going on.

Each delivery of items can be a mixture of letters, photos, physical objects and diary entries that fit together and help narrate a centuries old mystery. The specific mystery that we got into was all about ancient Egypt, something I find particularly interesting so I was keen to sit in with Marshall as he worked out the clues.

Many of the clues are hidden in maps and puzzles. There’s also some translation to do using ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. It all pieces together to form an engaging exercise in puzzles and problem solving.

The deliveries are varied in size and shape from cylinders to wax-sealed envelopes. I was pretty impressed with our initial letter as it reminded me of one from Hogwarts! The materials are of good quality and some of the items are sufficiently attractive enough that Marshall is still displaying them now that he’s finished solving the mystery!

Marshall loved working through the challenges and scribbling down his notes like a real investigator. He liked getting his regular delivery in the post and it was a good opportunity for us to sit down and work on something together.

I’d definitely recommend Mystery Mail as something a bit different. It was something that was able to draw him away from the videogames and his tablet, but still way more interactive than just reading a book. If you’ve got children with an inquisitive mind and a love of puzzles, Mystery Mail could be the product that would really spur on their interest in methodical analysis and investigation!

If you think you’d fancy having a go at investigating this mystery then check out the details at mysteriousmail.co.uk.

Disclaimer: This review was produced in return for the materials described above. No financial arrangements were entered into. Our opinions remain our own. This post contains affiliate links.